Major tobacco lobby policy issues and tactical approaches for US state legislatures

Policy issue

Tobacco lobby position on policy issue

Public health advocacy positions

Tobacco industry's general tactical approaches

Clean indoor air

Oppose or weaken all clean indoor air restrictions

Promote smoke free workplaces and public places to promote public health

Oppose or weaken state clean indoor air laws. Pre-emption of stricter local laws.1-150 Promote voluntary areas of “accommodation” for smokers and non-smokers. Form alliances with and, if necessary, create covert “hospitality” front groups to oppose clean indoor air legislation

Smokers' rights

Make it illegal for employers to take smoking status into account in hiring, firing, and promotion decisions

Eliminate or make it more difficult for citizens to mount initiative and referendum campaigns

No active position to promote public health and greater direct democracy

Sponsor legislation restricting ability to qualify initiatives and referenda on the ballot

Death certificates

Oppose listing tobacco as cause of death on death certificates

Support listing tobacco as a cause of death on death certificates to promote public health

Oppose all legislation that requires tobacco to be listed as cause of death on death certificates

↵1-150 Occasionally public health advocates have supported pre-emption in the belief that some progress at the state level was worth accepting pre-emption.8
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101 This compromise rarely advanced public health in the long run.